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Hot on the heels of the release of his encompassing The Spectrum of Distraction 2xCD+digital release on Robotic Empire, Berlin-via-Montreal’s AIDAN BAKER will further fill the pages in his passport! Here are the latest tour dates from easily the most prolific artist we’ve ever worked with:

Baker is touring in support of January’s The Spectrum of Distraction 2xCD+digital release, on which he collaborated with 17 other percussionists to create a whopping 96 (!) tracks, intentionally established to be played on “shuffle”. Contributing drummers include current and former members of SWANS, THE JESUS LIZARD, SLOWDIVE, KILLING JOKE, JESU, GODFLESH, LOCRIAN and many more.

The Spectrum of Distraction 2xCD is physically available now from Robotic Empire, and digitally via pre-orders from iTunes, Amazon and others for the official January 17th street date.

Once again, we’ve dreamed up a stupid sale to make some space. We’ve got a lot of new t-shirts lately (THOU, COUGH, etc) and have a bunch of others on deck in the near-future pipeline too… but no more shelf space for the upcoming stuffs! Solution? CRAZY SALE.

Through the rest of the month, we’re doing a buy-3-get-1-free sorta offer. Really, it’s “put 4 shirts in your cart, get $14.99 knocked off” since the high-end of the the average shirt price is $14.99 (even though many are less). Long story short, if you purchase 4 shirts, one of them will be free. 4 for the price of 3? I dunno, but get these old shirts outta here so we can make more! FALL FASHION and all that junk. Just use coupon code “SHIRTSALE” during checkout and you’re officially chillin.

Beyond that foolishness, we’ve actually got another jammin lil update for ya this time around. Almost all vinyl (plus a few tapes) and bangers abound! New stuff and restocks all have quite noteworthy stuff, so here’s just the lists in full:

(photo by Rich Gaccione)TWO back-to-back THOU updates?! Not that crazy when you consider how freakishly prolific this monster outfit is, and we’re pretty hyped to have our hands in yet another release they’ve done. A bit less directly this time, but along with longtime brethren Gilead Media, the Robotic Empire – Online Store is the very first place to stock THOU‘s band-released *upgraded* vinyl repress of their latest album, Summit.

Thankfully this one is NOT a pre-order, as this bad mamma jamma is all done and ready to roll! Their latest doom/sludge masterpiece, Summit, was initially released on wax by Southern Lord, but now self-released by the band with some mild but important upgrades: all new plates, heavyweight tip-on style jacket with clear spot-gloss, heavier printed innersleeve (with corrected text and lyrics), NO mucking around with stickers, smokey clear 180 GRAM vinyl… overall we’re just talking a really classy package here.

That’s not to dump on the venerable Southern Lord’s pressing, which was solid. Its just that THOU has since ironed out a few OCD kinks on what they want to see within a fully realized package, taking knowledge gained from our recent The Archer & The Owle “megaEP” release and re-applying some sonic and aesthetic enhancements to their latest full-length offering.

That being said, this thing is freaking beautiful. An already massive album that is now probably a bit more in line with the true vision THOU has for this album. We’re honored to aide these fine southern gentlemen in any way yet again, and of course along with our awesome(ly organized) brother-in-arms at Gilead Media!

To commemorate the occasion (and others), we have beefed up our THOU shirt arsenal with a new ripoff of a classic PG.99 image… actually the first t-shirt we ever printed so many years ago! We’re still using the same great printshop who’ve always done us right and are happy to present this thing to you today. Alabama’s Mammoth Printshop printed our very first shirt for us a solid dozen or so years ago: a black owl and mustard yellow text on an athletic grey t-shirt. Here we are again with an homage to those days (comparison image here), with friends of all conspirators THOU delivering this classic ripoff tee.

In addition to that banger, we’re hoping to have another new design and one re-print in house before too long, but those didn’t quite make it in time for this update. No matter, there is a (potentially literal) TON of other new items and restocks for this update, including a slew of other very righteous vinyl and shirts.

Restocks include the other gnarly COUGH t-shirt designs and ALL their vinyl releases, BARN OWL, a BARONESS re-press, CAPSULE‘s latest album on coloured vinylz, DROPDEAD x3, GEISHA, JUNIUS 2xLPs, MASTODON and more. Here’re the full lists:

Sometimes it can be difficult to write about dudes you’ve spent important formative years with, witnessing them grow from teenage punx into skilled musicians and incredible songwriters. Our longtime brothers from Sterling, Virginia are just that though… so with a nostalgic heart we present the latest Robotic Empire update.

PG.99 is the first band we ever did a release with, back in the very beginning Robodog days at the end of the last century. Its pretty crazy that over 12 years later, here we are again still talking about the same band… but they seemed incredible to us back then and still remain so today. From their first demo material to the final recordings five years later, it was amazing to watch this band evolve into the formidable force they became. Its appropriate then that Robotic Empire presents the long-overdue vinyl issuing of PAGENINETYNINE‘s Singles collection album.

Eighteen tracks spanning their existence have been pressed into one stellar LP. Originally released on CD by (the now-defunct?) Reptilian Records, this collection compiles PG.99‘s widespread non-album material. It includes the stuff from their splits with CIRCLE TAKES THE SQUARE, CITY OF CATERPILLAR, ENEMY SOIL, PROCESS IS DEAD and REACTOR NO. 7 along with other short-run compilation, EP and demo tracks.

Most PAGENINETYNINE fans have a favorite album, but in some ways Singles may be a better overall representation of the band. Each of their three full-lengths (and split longplayer with MAJORITY RULE) are excellent individual documents in their progression, but Singles manages to show it all: their humble beginnings to furious midpoint and experimental end. From the original demo tape to final split EP release, the wild ride of PG.99‘s various creations are clearly displayed on Singles, showing a band that evolved more in their prolific five years than one could really deem reasonable.

Finely mastered by James Plotkin for a much warmer and fuller sound not heard on the original releases, this 12″ has been packaged in a printed innersleeve (with an excellent eulogy by JR Hayes of PIG DESTROYER) and a silk-screened fold-over cover (printed by Broken Press, ala document #8 – click here for a bigger version of the above photospread). 1000 copies have been pressed: 200 on green, 200 on blue and 600 on black vinyl.

** THIS IS TECHNICALLY A PRE-ORDER as it officially has an August 2nd “street date”, although we’ve been given the go-ahead to start shipping out pre-orders within a week or two from now. However, everything for this release is now finished and in house already.. so you can order this NOW in the Robotic Empire – Online Store and we will ship out all orders as promptly as possible! **

Closely related is the latest pressing of PG.99‘s landmark document #8 album. Considered by many to be their definitive album, its easily the one with the most vision. Originally recorded throughout one hectic weekend in the winter of 2001, document #8 was re-mixed a few years later by band members and engineer Kurt Ballou. Since this recording those guys have forged a relationship that continues throughout each PYGMY LUSH recording (also accomplished at Kurt’s Godcity studios) and the results speak for themselves. Blistering songs dripping with spirit and passion, document #8 is arguably PG.99‘s magnum opus. Also housed in a silkscreen jacket, this one comes with a large 16-page booklet of lyrics/artwork/photos/etc (click here for a bigger version of the above photospread). 1000 more copies of this LP have been pressed: 200 on red, 200 on white and 600 on black vinyl.

Both of these releases are timed to correspond with PAGENINETYNINE‘s reunion at this year’s Best Friends Day festival in Richmond, Virginia. Friday, August 19th will see them play alongside CONVERGE, STRIKE ANYWHERE, CAPSULE and more at the Canal Club in RVA. Their plan is to perform the document #8 album in full, along with other material spanning their history. Its definitely not something to miss, as PG.99 hasn’t played live in over eight years. More information on the (massively fun) Best Friends Day event can be found here: http://www.bestfriendsdayrva.com

In a new addition to the Best Friends Day performance, PAGENINETYNINE will also play a bit closer to home at the Black Cat in Washington, DC the following weekend on Saturday, August 27th. Appropriately, THOU will be opening up that show… PG.99 + THOU for $10 = pretty hard to beat! More info on that over at the Black Cat website.

Both of those LPs, along with some celebratory-discounted PG.99 t-shirts (and the many members’ other bands’ records) can be found in the Robotic Empire – Online Store.

Related in core fundamentals is a lengthy new release from Louisiana’s THOU. Longtime friends of the aforementioned Virginians, THOU is cut from a very similar cloth wherein a DIY mentality is the backbone to extreme(ly) heavy music. The sonic results may vary from PG.99, but THOU‘s rock-solid work ethic, relentless touring and absurdly prolific release schedule now rivals (and possibly exceeds) their Sterling, VA contemporaries. Its also been a great pleasure to work with these maniacs in the past, thus we’re honored to present their new 12″ to you today.

Recorded throughout the turn of the decade, THOU deliver another potent 40 minutes of triumphant doom-laden sludge fury on The Archer & The Owle. Atypical heavyness to say the least, the ultra-crushing sound THOU has become known for is subtly enhanced by unique elements ala piano, atmospheric noise, horns, double bass and several re-envisioned cover songs for keen ears to decipher. Along with otherwise unreleased Summit-era material, this lengthy “megaEP” also (appropriately) contains THOU‘s original half of the now postponed co-release with PYGMY LUSH, oddly inspiring the band to then cover two tracks by their collaborators’ latest work.

Its all spice added to the overall stunning effect of a truly visionary band; intelligent commentary atop six massive tracks of absolutely bludgeoning music. Presented on color vinyl housed in a beautiful spot-glossed “tip-on” classic style heavyweight gatefold LP jacket, this is yet another brick in THOU‘s ever-strengthening wall of spite and menace. All mailorder copies of The Archer & The Owle vinyl include a canvas patch exclusive to the label and band copies. 2000 copies of this “megaEP” have been pressed: 500 on opaque gray (mailorder/band only) and 1500 on translucent clear. This and much of THOU‘s vast back-catalog (plus a few t-shirt designs) can be found now in the Robotic Empire – Online Store.

** As above with PG.99‘s Singles 12″, THIS IS TECHNICALLY A PRE-ORDER as it officially has an August 2nd “street date”, although we’ve been given the go-ahead to start shipping out pre-orders within a week or two from now. However, everything for this release is en route to us… so you can order this NOW in the Robotic Empire – Online Store and we will ship out all orders as promptly as possible! **

In addition to the vinyl version of this behemoth, we’ve teamed up with our brothers at Sweat Lodge Guru (who are also responsible for the awesome OMGvinyl) to unleash the cassette version of this “megaEP”.

In addition to these new releases (and re-press) we’ve got a fairly significant RoboSale going on at the moment. Hot on the heels of our insane “fire sale” discounts throughout May and June, we’re now offering a slew of Robotic Empire released vinyl and t-shirts at some stupid discounts… only until the end of July though. The vinyl is a widespread slew of Robo (and related) releases, and the shirts are mostly discounted in related celebration of PG.99‘s burst of activity! Here’s the list:

All of the above discounted stuff can be found now in the Robotic Empire – Online Store. This is all in an effort to clear some space, as along with the new releases above we also recently re-pressed some essential TORCHE albums (highlighted in the last update). What this all amounts to is a real premium for space at the lil’ ol’ RoboHQ so thus, the sales continue. However, this is likely to be our last large-scale discounting for a while, but nonetheless there’s some good deals to be had. Along with the above items, over 275+ others have various sales attached to them as well.

Beyond all the new Robo label activity, we’ve actually gotten in very few new stuff/restocks lately (for a change), only a couple items really… so we’re posting those along with the last update’s stuff.

WOW. Yeah, if we haven’t been busy enough lately… lets keep the crazy going! Please hit up the Robotic Empire – Online Store and pick something up if you can. We’ve gone kinda nutzo on vinyl lately and could use some help getting it outta here. Big ups!

Well, our ballsoutcrazy June sale has come to an end, but we still have nearly 250 random items on sale at the moment, including this oft-overlooked weirdo record we dropped about two years ago… the sole release (thus far) from BAD SECRETS:

We’re going out of our way to post about this oddball release (a 9″+CD) as we just found an old review of this wild slab. Longtime brethren Crucial Blast are almost like an east coast Aquarius, whereas they take (lots of) time to type up detailed description of each item they sell. Impressive to say the least, and here’s what they had to say about the aforementioned BAD SECRETS jammer:

TORCHE is one of the few bands that we’ve been alongside for the entire ride, from inception up to present activity. We love this band, they are seriously awesome dudes who write seriously catchy, heavy music. It always feels good to post updates in regards to TORCHE and today we’re happy to announce their two full-length albums have been newly re-pressed on vinyl.

Meanderthal is the album that took TORCHE from the underground to the semi-aboveground. It was on many best-of lists in 2008 (including the #1 spot in the fantastic Decibel Magazine). As it turned out, this ended up being their final album with 2nd guitarist Juan Montoya* and the end of the first era of the band. We ultimately outdid ourselves (and many others) with the first layout/packaging for this thing, with two die-cut tri-folding LP jackets attached together…. and while we would’ve loved to keep it in print that way, it just wasn’t financially feasible. So in an effort to keep one of our favorite albums in print, a new and somewhat simplified version of Meanderthal has been newly re-pressed.

Now packaged in a standalone gatefold jacket, Montoya and Aaron Turner’s original artwork has been mostly kept intact, and overall it still looks pretty damn killer (photo proof). We’re glad there was a way to keep this album in print, as it truly is stellar! 2000 more of this have been pressed, with standard black vinyl available along with three “color in color” versions of oranges, silvers and yellows, as well as a red/white/blue tri-blend) . The ones photographed above compliment the layout quite well, and we’re happy to announce that this is now available again in the Robotic Empire – Online Store.

In addition to Meanderthal finally being available on vinyl again, we’re now up to the fifth(!) pressing of the Self-Titled Reissue debut LP. This time around we kept the color vinyl (relatively) simple for a change and went with a Jah-inspired rasta tri-blend! 1000 more copies for this pressing (500 black, 500 rasta jawns), also available now in the Robotic Empire – Online Store.

++ Both Meanderthal and the Self-Titled Reissue LPs are now nicely priced at $11.99 each, about 4 bucks cheaper than before for S/T and $8 cheaper for Meander. ++

All of this recent TORCHE activity is culminating just in time for a massive summer tour (dates below), hot on the heels of guitarist/vocalist Steve Brooks “other” band FLOOR just completing their first proper US tour in eight years! We recently re-pressed the FLOOR Below & Beyond discography 8xCD set for their tour and still have some copies in stock. Seeing as how the band may be (relatively) dormant for a while with TORCHE getting busy again, we’ve just discounted the 8xCD FLOOR set to $29.99 , which can be found now in the Robotic Empire – Online Store. We also have a slew of classic FLOOR t-shirts available and are now down to the last half dozen (or less) copies of the ultramega 10xLP, 1×7″, 8xCD, 32-page-booklet deluxe vinyl edition… Seriously: last chance to dance on that beaut!

As we mentioned above, TORCHE is hitting the road for a substantial US tour, co-headlining alongside BIG BUSINESS (plus HELMS ALEE or THRONES, depending on what part of the country you’re in). The “new guy” 2nd guitarist (and longtime Robo-ally) Andrew Elstner** is firmly in the band now and they are officially on fire once again! Wisely witness this commotion IRL:

TORCHE-related footnotes: * Juan Montoya is now playing in MONSTRO, who recently signed to Vagrant (wtf?) and are going on tour with KYUSS and THE SWORD in September/October. Congrats Juan!** Andrew Elstner was in the criminally underrated RIDDLE OF STEEL and is simultaneously now in the also criminally underrated TILTS. Check them out ASAP.

In addition to all the TORCHE related news, we have also expanded our already outlandish store-wide sales! For the rest of the month, 99% of the 7″ EPs we carry are reduced further to only $1.99 apiece. That now matches our store-wide CD sale of just $1.99 per CD, CD-R, 3″miniCD, etc, etc etc. We got a little crazy there, but are only remaining this insane until the end of the month as we’ve actually cleared a good amount of much-needed space. Still lots of great items available at dirt cheap prices (including newly discounted CANNABIS CORPSE sweatpants), please check out the Robotic Empire – Online Store for all of our ridiculous discounts.

We’ve also got a meaty update as far as new items & restocks go! One big score this time around is the original BLACK TUSK demo EP, The Fallen Kingdom, finally pressed to wax by our homies at Hyperrealist. Eight songs, badass Baizley artworkin, raw sludgey goodness as only the dirty South knows how to properly do… and oh yeah, some logo-matched yellow vinyl copies too if you’re quick! Chop chop.

In addition to that jammer, we’ve got new stock from ANNIHILATION TIME (the II LP reissue with limited bonus 7″), CAPSULE‘s righteous new No Ghost album on ltd color vinyl, CHURCH OF MISERY and EYEHATEGOD essentials from Emetic, the unstoppable FELL VOICES LP from Gilead brethren, horribly difficult to obtain Throne imports (FLESHPRESS, LUDICRA, UNEARTHLY TRANCE), lotsa skramz (DANSE MACABRE, DOLCIM, HER BREATH ON GLASS, etc) for all the screamos out there, KICKING SPIT‘s awesome debut 12″, PYGMY LUSH‘s unbearably good Old Friends album on import wax (with slightly different artwork), and heaps more killer stuff.

Last but not least, a quick update on a few current projects: both THOU and PG.99 will see new vinyl on Robotic Empire in early August! We’ve got a “megaEP” for THOU at the plants now titled The Archer & The Owle, and while we may obviously be biased, it absolutely rules! The PG.99 release is the long-overdue vinyl treatment of their Singles collection, along with a repress of the Document #8 album, both to coincide with their (now sold out) pending reunion at Best Friends Day in Richmond this August. We’re hoping to have those for sale sometime in July or August, depending on when things wrap up.

So our last update‘s store-wide $2 CD sale was a CRAZY BLOWOUT!! We just wanted to clear a little space, but the results were totally unexpected! Of course our gears are turning now and we have decided a few other formats also need a store-wide discount on the VERY CHEAP. Until the end of June, in addition to all remaining standalone CDs being only two bucks, regardless of normal price 99% of the following four formats will be heavily discounted in an all new Deep Discount Turbo Mega Sale(tm):

Just like the CD sale, please order more than $10 worth of stuff so we don’t totally eat it on this… but yeah, if the prior $2 CD sale is any indication, stuff is likely to move fast! We had nearly 500 CD titles when the sale started and around 200 less than 12hrs later (down to less than 100 now!). Better skedaddle on over to the Robotic Empire – Online Store if ye be keen!

In addition to us loosing our minds and recklessly discounting the above formats, we’ve also stocked a small but mighty amount of new items & restocks. Almost entirely crucial bangers this time, there’s not a ton of stuff but its almost all gnarly:

It should be noted that the items above aren’t really included in the Deep Discount Turbo Mega Sale(tm), but there’s still LOADS of killer tunes available stupid cheap in the Robotic Empire – Online Store, so czech it out if you like dirt cheap awesome music! Peace!

Its still amazing to us that FLOOR has resurrected and is an active force again, currently on tour blazing eardrums across the USA! This is no small wonder, but still something to behold.

In celebration, we recently re-pressed the 8xCD version of their massive Below & Beyond discography… and this update we’re pleased to announce that four(!) t-shirt designs are now available along with a kickass 8x button set.

One downside though is that due to our small HQ, we’re a bit overwhelmed with sheer STUFF at the moment… so we’ve conjured up a “FLOORCOMBO” discount code to knock off $10 if you order the Below & Beyond discography plus a FLOOR t-shirt…AND we’ll include a free 8x button set too if you bust the “FLOORCOMBO”. Hella FLOOR jawns together for a nice price, just enter the “FLOORCOMBO” coupon code thing when you’re checking out in our Online Store. This will run for the next 2 weeks.

The big restock news is finally scoring the long unavailable back catalog stuff from A Date With Elvis, aka the now-defunct Spanish label that issued the vinyl for PIG DESTROYER‘s Painter of Dead Girls 12″, CRESTFALLEN‘s final 7″ and TRANSISTOR TRANSISTOR‘s Erase All Names And Likeness 2×12″. All very hard to get and/or WAY unavailable for ages now, we are likely the only place to stock any of this stuff as it was a major mission to get. Very hyped to have that stuff in stock again after many years, and once its gone… that’s really it!

Along with that we’ve also got restocks from heavyweights such as BARONESS, DOOMRIDERS, MADE OUT OF BABIES, MAJORITY RULE, MASTODON, TWDY and more.

New stuff includes the debut BEE CONTROL 7″ (already sold out from Adagio) plus the new CROWSKIN / BLACK FREIGHTER split and GODS & QUEENS “acoustic” tape all imported from our German brothers, plus lots of double LPs this time: new KYLESA 2xLP on color wax, LIGHT BEARER blisstality, ROSETTA‘s new one finally on vinyl, SALOME‘s newest(/final?) album, plus more quality NADJA tunes from their ever-expanding arsenal of a discography, a couple awesome Skin Balms (!!) from Zeep (seriously great for all you tattoo’d freex) and more. Chekk it: